2019-20 Rangers

Kreider’s late PPG leads Rangers 3-2 over Isles

Posted on by Adam Rotter in 2019-20 Rangers

First Period:

  • Josh Bailey (10) ASST: Ross Johnston (1), Tom Kuhnhackl (3)

Second Period:

  • PPG – Mika Zibanejad (18)

Third Period:

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  • Tony DeAngelo (12)
  • Anthony Beauvillier (12) ASST: Ryan Pulock (17), Brock Nelson (18)
  • PPG – Chris Kreider (16) ASST: Mika Zibanejad (19), Artemi Panarin (42)

Stats:

From the Rangers Game Notes:

  • Chris Kreider tallied the game-winning goal with 24.6 seconds remaining in regulation, registered three shots on goal, and was credited with three hits.
    • He was selected as the game’s First Star.
    • Kreider has registered a point in five of the last six games (four goals, two assists), in eight of the last 10 games (six goals, four assists), in 11 of the last 14 games (nine goals, five assists), and in 14 of the last 18 games (10 goals, eight assists). He has also tallied a goal in four of the last five games.
  • Alexandar Georgiev made 38 saves, including 21 saves in the first period, to earn his second consecutive win and his 12th win of the season.
    • He was selected as the game’s Second Star.
    • Georgiev has earned a win in each of his two appearances against the Islanders this season, posting a 2.01 GAA and a .946 SV% (70 saves on 74 shots) in the two games.
    • He has made 30 or more saves in 14 of his 21 starts this season, and the Rangers have posted a 10-3-1 record in games which he has made at least 30 saves this season.

David Quinn post game:

  • How do you sum that up, “ballsy, just a real gutsy effort from our guys. We knew they would come hard in the first period and they put the heat on us, got out of it 1-0 but really got back to how we were playing in the second period. Our special teams were huge, two PPGs, our PK was immense, I liked our third period until penalties got in the way. We were doing a good job 5 on 5 and just a ballsy effort.”
  • On Georgiev, “if you are going to kill penalties your goalie better be great, he was great.”
  • On what it says about the team, “when you come in here against a team with that success, they test your mental toughness, your physical toughness and to come out of here with two points is certainly a great sign for growth.”
  • What was better in the second, “I think we just got back to skating. I thought we were a little curious, I don’t know if it was intimidation and wondering what was going to happen in the first period and we kind of lost our pace of play, once the period ended we dusted ourselves off and continued to do what we were doing. We spent time in the O-zone, they got their first shot with nine minutes left in the period, their first scoring chance with four minutes to go and I just thought we got rhythm into our game and spent time in the o-zone.”
  • How was it playing here, “when you score with 25-seconds to go it feels pretty damn good.”
  • On the PK right before DeAngelo’s goal, “immense. Lindgren, Fast, Mika, Strome and Staalsie and Brady and Smitty and Howden, they did a great job.”
  • Is the team turning a corner, “you guys have watched. We look different.”

Adam Rotter:

  • With each win/strong performance from Alex Georgiev and each goal/point from Chris Kreider the Rangers decisions on what to do at the deadline become harder and harder. The Rangers are making the best out of this three goalie situation right now but in the five games since Igor Shesterkin was called up, he has two wins in two appearances, Georgiev has two wins in two appearances and Henrik Lundqvist has a loss in one appearance. You have to think that it’s a lock Georgiev goes again next Tuesday against the Isles, in the Rangers last game before the bye/All-Star break, and if that leaves Sunday in Columbus for either Lundqvist or Shesterkin. What seems unlikely, but makes the most sense is sending Shesterkin down for Hartford’s two games this weekend, starting Lundqvist on Sunday and regrouping and making a decision before the Rangers come back on the 31st.
  • With Chris Kreider it comes down to keeping him, going for the playoffs and run the risk of losing him for nothing as a free agent or to try and get a big haul for him and attempt a playoff push without him. There is no doubt that the Rangers are better with Kreider but the Rangers have to weigh keeping him as their own rental, which would still give them the exclusive rights to negotiate with him until free agency starts, signing him now, or trading him for a package that would likely include a young NHL roster player, a prospect and a pick or two? There are salary cap considerations, there are roster configuration considerations, prospects and what selling a big piece at the deadline, for the third straight season, would do to the team.